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Roaming Around Romblon
Romblon
Romblon | Cresta de Gallo: A Beautiful and Remote Island
Sunday, April 28, 2013Ryan Mach
There is a small island sitting off the coast of Sibuyan in Romblon. It's called "Cresta de Gallo." We went there one summer and I was incredibly stunned by its beauty. Without sounding biased, I can say that it's one of the best islands I've seen. The photos don't lie, it's really a looker.
Getting to the island is not easy. For starters, you'll have to board a ferry from Batangas to Romblon, then hop on another boat to the island of Sibuyan, Romblon's second largest island next to Tablas. There is a shipping line that sails directly to Azagra but it's got a reputation for being unsafe. Regardless, taking this ferry can save you a lot of time and money. Just don't say I didn't warn you. From Azagra, you need to rent a boat that will take you to the island. It's a half-hour ride, one hour tops if the water's choppy.
Seeing the island for the first time, I felt some sense of pride for my province. I never knew that such a lovely island existed. But then again, I was born and raised in Tablas, a few miles away from Sibuyan. In fact, I haven't been to this part of Romblon until that summer when I and my friends went on a backpacking trip around the province.
Struck by the beauty before my eyes, I welcomed my travel companions rather theatrically, exclaiming "Welcome to my province, Romblon!" with the most ecstatic voice I could muster, complete with hand gestures. But alas, they didn't notice the act (at least I think they didn't), which was fortunate because I looked rather awkward. Whether my travel mates were smitten by Cresta de Gallo, or they simply found my scream intrusive, I have no idea. Regardless, they paid me no mind, as if I hadn't shouted at all. And I can't really blame them for being speechless.
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| The scenic sand bar of Cresta de Gallo |
Getting to the island is not easy. For starters, you'll have to board a ferry from Batangas to Romblon, then hop on another boat to the island of Sibuyan, Romblon's second largest island next to Tablas. There is a shipping line that sails directly to Azagra but it's got a reputation for being unsafe. Regardless, taking this ferry can save you a lot of time and money. Just don't say I didn't warn you. From Azagra, you need to rent a boat that will take you to the island. It's a half-hour ride, one hour tops if the water's choppy.
Seeing the island for the first time, I felt some sense of pride for my province. I never knew that such a lovely island existed. But then again, I was born and raised in Tablas, a few miles away from Sibuyan. In fact, I haven't been to this part of Romblon until that summer when I and my friends went on a backpacking trip around the province.
Struck by the beauty before my eyes, I welcomed my travel companions rather theatrically, exclaiming "Welcome to my province, Romblon!" with the most ecstatic voice I could muster, complete with hand gestures. But alas, they didn't notice the act (at least I think they didn't), which was fortunate because I looked rather awkward. Whether my travel mates were smitten by Cresta de Gallo, or they simply found my scream intrusive, I have no idea. Regardless, they paid me no mind, as if I hadn't shouted at all. And I can't really blame them for being speechless.
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| Approaching the island |
Roaming Around Romblon
En Route to Cresta de Gallo : Elusive Lunch and Diminutive Trike
Sunday, April 28, 2013Ryan Mach
My stomach groaned in disagreement when the group decided to take lunch in Cresta de Gallo, a small island off the coast of San Fernando, Sibuyan, Romblon. Well, I had no problem per se with having lunch in Cresta de Gallo. It's just that I felt like someone or something had been intent on taking my lunch away!
Lunch had been pretty much elusive that day. En route to Cantingas River Resort aboard a crowded jeepney, we were promised by our guide that the food was ready. When we arrived at the resort, there was no lunch in sight. It turned out that it was waiting for us on the beach. So we settled our stuff in and hopped on a small trike which took us to Azagra, a fishing village about 4 kilometers from Cantingas. The trike was too small, it was a wonder how 10 people, including the driver, were able to fit inside.
Lunch had been pretty much elusive that day. En route to Cantingas River Resort aboard a crowded jeepney, we were promised by our guide that the food was ready. When we arrived at the resort, there was no lunch in sight. It turned out that it was waiting for us on the beach. So we settled our stuff in and hopped on a small trike which took us to Azagra, a fishing village about 4 kilometers from Cantingas. The trike was too small, it was a wonder how 10 people, including the driver, were able to fit inside.
[Yep, you can also topload on a trike]
"So this is how you go home?" K, one of my friends, asked me as we were huddled in one crowded section of the busy terminal in Batangas Port. By how, she meant the stress and hassle involved in the trip. I nodded to confirm while looking around, trying to find vacant seats for the eight of us. Beads of sweat started to form on my temple; my shirt had begun to form maps of perspiration. The air-conditioners inside the terminal were barely working. I observed my companions to see how they're faring so far. They still looked excited. I heaved a sigh of relief.
We all sat and waited at the back row of pink benches near the comfort room. Matilde, the ship that would ferry us to Romblon, was leaving at 5pm. I initially thought about taking the Batangas-Odiongan route but I realized that it would eat up too much time and extra fare so I decided to go with Batangas-Romblon. There was a direct Roro to Sibuyan Island which charged less fare, however the ship itself had a bad reputation. I didn't want to jeopardize our safety. And so we waited for three hours to board.
A few minutes past five, Matilde sailed forth down south. Our 6-day adventure had officially began. We arrived in Sibuyan 17 hours later. The journey was long and tiring but as the old saying goes, it's not the destination that matters but how you got there.
We met at Jam Terminal in Buendia at around 11. The bus left for Batangas Pier at 11:30AM.
We all sat and waited at the back row of pink benches near the comfort room. Matilde, the ship that would ferry us to Romblon, was leaving at 5pm. I initially thought about taking the Batangas-Odiongan route but I realized that it would eat up too much time and extra fare so I decided to go with Batangas-Romblon. There was a direct Roro to Sibuyan Island which charged less fare, however the ship itself had a bad reputation. I didn't want to jeopardize our safety. And so we waited for three hours to board.
A few minutes past five, Matilde sailed forth down south. Our 6-day adventure had officially began. We arrived in Sibuyan 17 hours later. The journey was long and tiring but as the old saying goes, it's not the destination that matters but how you got there.
OUR HOST, MON, GREETS US with a rather flamboyant and disturbing display of his guy part thinly veiled by his scandalous pekpek shorts. The heat in Iba, Zambales - probably around 32 (°C) - hardly bothers us; it is Mon's bold attire that instantly gets us preoccupied. He waits for us by the side of the road so we are able to spot him easily as we traipse down from the ever boring Victory Liner bus (wifi's busted). The ride is awfully long. En route to Iba, Mon cautions us through a phone call that we don't comment on how long it takes to get us there. His aunt who helped him prepare our lunch will easily get offended by the mere mention of the long trip.
[Now showing: Mission Impossible]
With such a distracting view (I'm still talking about his shorts), we momentarily forget about the hunger we've been dealing with so much difficulty for the last leg of the trip. We exchange bemused looks as Mon leads us to their humble abode located right beside the busy highway. Over a sumptuous lunch, one friend decides to address the elephant in the room by, well, joking about it. We all double up. Mon pretends to take offense but pours us each a glass of home-made mango shake. He tells us we'll be having crabs and tuna for dinner.
With such a distracting view (I'm still talking about his shorts), we momentarily forget about the hunger we've been dealing with so much difficulty for the last leg of the trip. We exchange bemused looks as Mon leads us to their humble abode located right beside the busy highway. Over a sumptuous lunch, one friend decides to address the elephant in the room by, well, joking about it. We all double up. Mon pretends to take offense but pours us each a glass of home-made mango shake. He tells us we'll be having crabs and tuna for dinner.
A trip can be highly memorable in a lot of ways and for different reasons. Oftentimes, we all want to remember only the good things that happened in our journey - those moments that make us a proud and better traveler but too often we encounter situations that are uncomfortable, downright embarrassing or just plain awkward. We try to sweep them under the rug and rarely talk about them because we think they spoil our travel experience. The fact of the matter is, they don't. Quite the contrary really because they add flavor and enrich our travel experiences.
As a frequent traveler, I have my own share of funny, wacky and cringe-worthy moments.
As a frequent traveler, I have my own share of funny, wacky and cringe-worthy moments.
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Travel Guide
Magalawa Island | A Short Travel Guide
Monday, April 08, 2013Ryan Mach
There's a little island called Magalawa off the coast of Palauig in Zambales. It features a nice white sand beach that runs 7 kilometers around its shore. It's not very far from Manila so it can be an ideal weekend destination for those who are looking for a quick escape this summer.
